240 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



2. Why tvas that plum matter left ivithout any discussion, 1 want to 

 know? 



Mr. LaFleue: Because we ran off into discussion of something else 

 until the time was up. 



3. Which is better for peaches, heavy clay soil or light sandy soil? 



O. Beebe: About half way is best. Mr. Meisenheimee: Of the two, 

 clay. Mr. Houk: I would rather have sandy soil, but|medium is best. 

 Mr. Robinson: A sandy loam. Mr. Beooks: These do not answer. The 

 question means what it says — the extreme either way. Mr. Lindeeman 

 and Mr. Beebe preferred the sand. Mr. Meisenheimee: It is useless to 

 set Crawfords on very light sand. Mr. Houk : And to set anykindlof 

 peach on heavy clay. Mr. Hamilton: I would take the clay. "Sandy" 

 is bad enough, but when you add "light" I want nothing to do with it. 



4. When is the best time to spray apples? 



H. H. Peatt : From the time the blossoms fall, on to the middle of June. 

 Once spraying saved seven tenths of a crop for me. Six ounces of London 

 purple to one hundred gallons of water — three ounces to a kerosene 

 barrel — is the proportion I use. It burns worse than a long drouth. 



5. Should every fruitgrower here become a member of this society? 

 No reply was made. 



6. Is there any remedy for rust on raspberries? 

 Mr. LaFleue: Just one — dig and burn. 



7. Has anyone present had experience loith the Russia7i apricot? Is 

 it desirable? 



C. H. Daeeow, Geneva, N. Y., (representing Hammond & Willaed, 

 nurserymen): There is a large demand for it, but I have not had 

 sufficient experience with the same to recommend it. Mr. Hawley: Mine 

 die out on low land but thrive well enough on elevations. Mr. La Fleue: 

 Several hundreds have been set in my vicinity. Those grafted on peach 

 stock have not done well, though three years set. They blossomed this 

 year very early, which may be a disadvantage. I think another year 

 will tell. 



8. What is the best ivay to sell fruit ? 



There was the usual talk, in response, of honest packing and sales at the 

 orchard. 



9. What caused the apple, pear, and peach to drop, this season? 



Several residents of Oceana corinty believed this to be due to a hot, 

 blighting wind which they said blew from the southeast, a few hours in 

 the forenoon of Jime 5 ; yet one insisted it came from the northeast. Mr. 

 Lannin disbelieved in all this, and argued that it was due to imperfect 

 fertilization, this resulting from weakness of the trees from vicissitudes of 

 the winter and spring. In this view O. Beebe coincided, explaining the 

 process of fertilization of blossoms and saying that three or four days of 

 cold rain had on occasion ruined his grape crop by preventing pollination. 

 Prof. A. L. Redding of a Findlay, Ohio, college, with much energy repelled 

 this idea, claiming there could be no development without fertilization, 

 and it must have been the wind. Messrs. LaFleue and Beebe insisted 

 that there could be, and often is, development of the outer parts of fruits, 



